Gordon Olson

Gordon Olson, age 87, of McIntosh, MN, passed away on Tuesday, October 2nd, at Pioneer Memorial Care Center in Erskine, MN. Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 6th, at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in McIntosh with the Rev. Gordon Syverson officiating. Family will greet friends for one hour prior to the service on Saturday at the church. Military honors will be provided by the National Guard Honors Team. Arrangements are with the Carlin Funeral Home, serving McIntosh, and messages of condolence may be sent at www.carlinfuneral.com. Gordon's grandfather and great grandmother emigrated from Norway in the mid-1800s. They established their homestead in Gary, Minnesota, where Gordon began his life here on earth. He was born to Carl and Beatrice Flaaten Olson on November 6, 1930.Gordon lived in Gary, Winger, and McIntosh Minnesota, and followed his military assignments through Georgia, Nevada, Texas, New Mexico, and California. It was in California that he made a life with his first wife of 46 years, Bess, and their two children Terry and Valli.Gordon worked as an Airplane Mechanic for the U.S. Air Force and fell into teaching others his craft. He became the Chief Instructor for Aircraft Mechanics. He also held the position for the U.S. Army as Chief Inspector with the Air Section of the Army. He used these skills to obtain a position of Quality Control in Roswell, New Mexico with those responsible for the installation of the new ICBM program.Gordon continued his service in the reserves while obtaining a position with RCA teaching radar systems at the missile school for the Army.After the RCA contract with the Army concluded, Gordon was hired as an instructor for International Business Machines (IBM) and worked for them for most of his career. Gordon finished his teaching career at Technical Vocational Institute (TVI) as an Electronics instructor, starting out the careers of many, many students.Widowed in 1998, Gordon was considering attending an upcoming High School reunion. During communications regarding the event, Gordon renewed a very special friendship with a very special girl, Jane Sayre-Hedman. They were married in 1999. Returning to his roots in McIntosh, Gordon continued his life of service by pastoring the congregation of Salem Church for fourteen years. He completed the GIFTS Program for Theological Education through the Northwest Minnesota Synod of the ELCA and was recognized at a Synod Assembly.Gordon spent many happy hours involved in his woodworking projects, building model airplanes, and reading everything he could get his hands on. Gordon passed away on Tuesday, October 2, 2018 at Pioneer Memorial Care Center in Erskine at the age of 87 years.Gordon is preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Beatrice Olson, his brother, Byron, his many aunts and uncles, his son, Gary Brice, his first wife, Bess Olson, and his stepdaughters, Marilyn Peterson, Barbara Hedman, and Linda Knudson.Gordon is survived by his brother Keith Olson, his children, Terry Olson and Val Geter, his grandchildren, Jacob, Matthew, Russell, Douglas, and Christie, his wife of 19 years, Jane Olson, his stepdaughter, Vionne Ellingson, his stepson, Kurt Hedman, along with many step grandchildren and step great grandchildren.